


tranquil as a forest, on fire within

by peroxideprncss



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, No Beta we die like Zhao, Rating May Change, a criminally underrated background character finally gets her turn in the spotlight, aka the 'yuyan archer mai' au, me crying over a picture of mai: 'that's my baby right there!'
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:01:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29148609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peroxideprncss/pseuds/peroxideprncss
Summary: a Yuyan Archer only becomes legendary when forged in the fires of fierce discipline. once chosen for the Yuyan, there was no turning back; there was no other path. the Yuyan became one’s whole life.or, the AU where Mai runs away after Zuko's banishment and gets recruited for the Yuyan Archers.
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 50
Kudos: 70
Collections: AtLA <10k fics to read





	1. prologue

_Fire Nation Capital, 97 AG_

* * *

Rain battered down mercilessly upon Royal Caldera City, as if the Spirits and the universe were displaying the same unforgiving rage as the Fire Lord had earlier that day. It was well past sunset, well past the time that Mai had witnessed Prince Zuko’s world come crashing down around him.

Azula had looked on with a twisted sort of enjoyment. General Iroh had averted his gaze, turning away in what Mai interpreted as some sort of guilt or shame. Ty Lee had yelped, covering her eyes and trembling. Mai was still, a statue of stone cursed to watch the entire horrific scene unfold. She had wanted to scream, to run away, to do _anything_ , but all she could manage was wide-eyed horror. She saw everything.

On the way home, her mother was silent. Her father forced himself to say that “it was for the boy’s own good”, even though Mai could see in his eyes that he didn’t quite mean it. Mai stayed still and emotionless, as all noble girls should, until she was finally alone behind her closed bedroom door.

The emotions crashed over her as violently as the streaks of lightning illuminating the sky. She only screamed with each clap of thunder, willing her voice to be lost among the noise. Her tears came as rapidly as the rain. And, among it all, her muscles moved automatically, without instruction from her overwhelmed mind.

She didn’t stop for one final look as she slipped quietly out her window into the night - she didn’t stop for anything until her lungs and legs screamed out at her, begging her to take a break. Finding herself long outside the capital city and well-hidden under the shroud of darkness, Mai collapsed to her knees, gulping in breaths and trying to calm her trembling limbs. She could no longer tell the difference between the tears and the raindrops soaking her cheeks; it was all just water.

_You can still go back home,_ a voice called out in the depths of her mind. Mai briefly ran through the scenario in which that was possible: she could go back the way she came, sneak back through her window, dry herself off and go to bed - in the morning, everything would be back to normal. She considered it for just a moment long enough to run through it all before remembering one crucial detail: there was no going back to normal.

Was she to pretend as if the Agni Kai had never happened? Her mother had sternly warned her to “never speak of that boy again” as they left to go back home.

_“Will Prince Zuko be okay?” Mai had whispered, turning to her mother with the same wide-eyed stare she’d had since that fateful moment in the arena._

_Michi spared her daughter a fraction of a second’s glance, steeling her face to be perfectly emotionless before chastising her for bringing up an exile of the nation._

Mai decided then: she refused to carry on as if nothing had changed. She could not put on a blank face and walk through her life silently, letting things happen to her instead of forging her own path and making her own decisions. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out her favorite blade, her beloved sai. A gift from her uncle who first encouraged her to pursue the skill, it had never failed her in training or a spar. Mai observed herself in the weapon’s reflection, taking in her face that was called “plain” and her “boyish brow” that her mother had insisted a fringe in her hair would cover. Her mother - what would she think of this?

Mai tried to imagine her mother discovering an empty bed the next morning. How would she react? Would Michi finally drop her façade and show genuine emotion? Would she care that her only child was gone, disappeared into the night with nothing but memories left behind?

Mai struggled to picture it. She could only see her mother with a stone face, letting just one tear fall before setting her jaw and moving forward through the day. Would that tear even be real, or is it just for show?

Mai leaned forward to further observe her reflection in a puddle before her. She saw her hair struggling to stay held together under her bun covers, and the black tint her mother insisted on brushing through her eyelashes now in smeared streaks down her face. She brought up her sleeve to clean her face of the kohl, and then raised her sai above her head. She grasped one bun tightly and, with only a slight tremble of her hand, sliced the blade through her hair.

There was no going back now.


	2. ryō

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mai is summoned by Colonel Shinu and recalls the events that led her to the Pohuai Stronghold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much to everyone who commented, left kudos, or even just took the time to read the first chapter. i'm so happy that others are excited about this concept, and i can't wait to take you all on this journey with me!

_Western Earth Kingdom, 99 AG_

* * *

The Pohuai Stronghold’s rigidity extends far past its steely exterior. The elite force of the Fire Nation housed within, the Yuyan Archers, only become legendary when they are forged in the fires of fierce discipline. While raw talent was undoubtedly a requirement for recruitment, it would only carry one so far. Once chosen for the Yuyan, there was no turning back; there was no other path. The Yuyan became one’s whole life.

In the moments before the sun breached the horizon, horns sounded out across the compound, rousing the archers from their slumber. Mai peeled her lids open - although this had been her daily routine for almost two years now, it had never become any easier for her to wake before dawn. Despite the struggle, Mai rose from her cot just as her fellow archers around her, and began to prepare for the day.

As the group from her bunker filed out to the main hall for breakfast, Mai was summoned by the Colonel.

“Ryō,” Captain Li barked, taking Mai by surprise. She turned to the man and bowed, responding naturally to the name she had given upon her arrival. It was virtually the only name she knew anymore.

“Yes, sir,” Ryō responded.

“Colonel Shinu wants to see you,” Li announced, not waiting for a response before turning on his heel and leading the way. Ryō followed dutifully behind, making sure to keep her outer appearance neutral while her mind reeled with anxious thoughts.

 _Have I finally been discovered?_ She worried. _What’s the punishment for enlisting under a false identity?_

Ryō tried to push down these notions, focusing instead on where she was being taken. She observed each turn they made through the hallways, and counted every guard. She was planning every move she’d need to make in the event she had to make a hasty exit.

When they arrived at the entrance to the Colonel’s office, Li knocked with two respectful raps of his knuckles, and Ryō listened to the sound, calculating the weight of the door and the force that would be required to break through it.

“Enter,” came the Colonel’s voice from within. Ryō took a deep breath, then stepped over the threshold to face her fate.

* * *

“Recruit Ryō, as you requested, sir,” Captain Li presented the young archer with a respectful bow.

“Thank you, Captain,” Shinu responded as he rose from his seat behind a large wooden desk. Ryō remained in her bowed position until the Colonel directed otherwise. The man took his time approaching her, regarding her with a look that Ryō couldn’t quite decipher. This only made her more nervous, which meant she had to work harder to maintain the cool exterior she’d constructed.

“At ease, recruit,” Shinu finally spoke, cueing Ryō to stand up straight and face her superior head-on.

“I’ve been watching you these past few months,” the Colonel began, and a bead of sweat betrayed Ryō by slowly inching down her temple.

“Sir?” Ryō questioned, willing her voice to stay level.

“You’re different from our other recruits,” Shinu continued, “And, until recently, I couldn’t figure out how. You share the same discipline, the same temperament, and the same dedication as the rest of your class.”

“Thank you, sir,” Ryō replied, bowing once more.

“At _ease_ ,” Shinu repeated with a slight chuckle, “You’re not in trouble, recruit. In fact, I brought you here to commend you on your...extraordinary talents. You’ve excelled far past the rest of your class in training. Upon your arrival, you hit the center of the very first target you aimed at. It’s clear to me that you’re something this base doesn’t see too often.”

“The Yuyan are the best of the best,” Ryō stated plainly, “Every archer here is in possession of extraordinary talent.”

“Yes,” Shinu agreed, “But even among the elite, there are those who rise further above the rest. Tell me, Ryō, what brought you to Pohuai?”

_A stormy night. A world tipped dizzily on its axis. Everything she thought she knew about her past, and what to expect for her future, burning away before her very eyes in an instant, like…_

_Like…_

Ryō blinked once, a bit more forcefully than natural, willing the visions of that night to leave her. She cleared her throat to repeat the story she’d repeated to herself for years.

“My father perished in the war,” she said, keeping her voice even, “I wanted to follow in his footsteps and serve my nation. I left to enlist the very day I became of age.”

* * *

_Fog hung thickly in the air, the sun not quite yet high enough in the sky to chase it away. Mai slinked through shadowed alleys as she approached the docks. Having managed to find some more masculine - albeit awkwardly fitting - clothing, and examining and perfecting her haircut in daylight, she felt a bit more comfortable with her new identity. However, she was still always on edge that she’d be discovered and promptly hauled home, probably to live the rest of her days under house arrest and hidden away from the world by her overwhelmingly ashamed parents._

_Her parents...what_ would _they think of all this? All Mai could recall in the moment was that her mother had always tutted about her lanky and square frame._

_“People will think you’re a boy,” Michi had chastised when a young Mai asked for a fashionable short hairstyle like the one Princess Azula had premiered at her seventh birthday party._

Hopefully, you’re right, Mother, _Mai thought as she walked up to the soldier standing guard at a navy ship’s bow._

_“Sir?” Mai called to the man’s attention. The soldier startled, and it was apparent he’d been slacking a bit on his duties as lookout._

_“What do you want, kid?” he replied gruffly, relaxing his stance a bit._

_“I’ve come to enlist,” Mai responded confidently, only needing to consciously lower her voice a tone or two below its natural register. She thanked the Spirits for her raspy, “mannish” voice that Michi had always bemoaned._

_“You look a little young for that,” the soldier chuckled, turning away from her._

_“I’m sixteen,” she insisted, “It was my birthday last week.”_

_The soldier gave her a raised eyebrow, and looked her up and down. Mai kept a cool demeanor, but on the inside started to worry. Would it be believable? She had always been a bit tall for her age, but trying to claim nearly four additional years could be too much of a stretch._

_The soldier finally gave a noncommittal grunt, and turned to board the ship. After a few steps, he turned back around._

_“You comin’, kid?”_

_Mai followed diligently._

* * *

Colonel Shinu simply nodded, encouraging the young soldier before him to continue.

“My recruiting officer was impressed with the skill I displayed in long-range combat,” Ryō explained. Shinu cocked his head slightly.

“Throwing knives,” Ryō clarified.

* * *

_“Captain,” the soldier knocked against the heavy steel door before them. Mai couldn’t believe she’d gotten this far, and that she was actually standing on a Fire Navy ship. She knew that her mission was far from over, though._

_The door creaked open before them, and the Captain, a rough looking man who could be her father’s age stared at Mai for a moment. Then, he turned to the soldier._

_“What’s this?” he asked._

_“Kid wants to enlist,” the soldier explained, “Says he just turned sixteen.”_

_“...Uh-huh,” the Captain responded as his eyes turned once again to Mai’s frame. The two stared at each other for a long moment, waiting to see who would break first. Mai held her resolve, determined not to lose this unspoken contest. Finally, the Captain chuckled._

_“Alright, kid,” he said, amused, “Let’s see what you’ve got.”_

_Mai grunted and struggled through an impromptu hand-to-hand combat test with a few of the soldiers; the deck was slippery and it was hard for her feet to find purchase on the cold surface. Nevertheless, she succeeded in bringing two of them to their knees._

_“Not a stellar fighter,” the Captain commented, “But decent enough. At the very least we could use someone to do the grunt work around here.” He turned and began to retreat to his quarters once more._

_“I can fight,” Mai insisted, still trying to catch her breath, “With blades.”_

_Before the Captain could say a word in response, he registered a metal object whizzing dangerously close past his head before landing firmly in the metal framework beside him._

* * *

“Knives?” the Colonel inquired, raising an impressed brow.

“Knives,” Ryō confirmed, “Stilettos, shuriken.”

“Did you have any prior experience with a bow before arriving here?” Shinu asked.

“No, sir,” Ryō replied.

“Incredible.”

* * *

_“Change of plans,” the Captain barked to the helmsman as he led Mai through the corridors to the soldiers’ bunks, “Set our course for Pohuai.”_

_“Pohuai?!” came the helmsman’s exasperated reply, “That’ll set us_ weeks _off schedule! The Admiral will have all our heads!”_

_“I’ll take care of that,” the Captain bit back angrily, “You have your orders.”_

_“Yes, sir,” the helmsman said through gritted teeth before bowing and making his exit._

_“Kid, ever heard of the Yuyan Archers?” the Captain asked Mai. She simply shook her head._

_“One of the most elite - and deadly - forces in our nation’s whole military,” he explained, “I think you’ve got what it takes to join them.” Mai’s eyes grew wide, but the Captain didn’t have time to analyze her expression before practically shoving her over the threshold into the soldiers’ quarters._

_“Wait here,” was all he said before hurrying off._

_Mai didn’t really have a plan, and everything was just now sinking in - she was probably in way over her head. She settled down onto a cot that appeared unclaimed, and ran through the events of the day. Everything had gone the way she’d hoped - she successfully made her way onto a Fire Navy ship and was now an enlisted soldier. However, she didn’t think that she’d...stand out like this. She’d wanted to just lay low, find out any information they might have about Zuko, maybe find her way onto his ship…_

_She stifled a bitter laugh. This whole thing had been a fever dream at best. What had she gotten herself into? She was more nervous than she’d been in her entire life. But...she was more excited than she’d been in a very long time, too. And for once, people weren’t criticizing her for her manners or her hair or her smart mouth...they were paying attention to her talents. They were maybe even_ impressed _by them._

_She had run away from home because she was angry and upset over what happened to Zuko. She thought that maybe there was a chance she could make it to him, and they could be banished together. But she quickly realized that the notion sounded like a deluded fairytale - and Mai had never really liked fairytales. It was time to stop looking at herself in terms of other people; what mother would want, what Zuko would want, what Azula or Ty Lee or father or the court would want…_

_What did_ Mai _want?_

* * *

“Ryō,” Shinu began, “You’ve excelled greatly here so far. I believe you’ve outgrown the training class altogether.”

“Sir?” Ryō asked, still unsure of where this entire exchange was taking them.

“Congratulations,” Shinu gave a small bow of his head, “You are now a Yuyan.”


	3. admiral zhao

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Yuyan Archers are recruited for a special mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to everyone who has read, commented, and/or left kudos!  
> this chapter takes directly from Book 1, Ep. 13 "The Blue Spirit", which is when we first meet the Yuyan Archers in canon.

_Pohuai Stronghold, 99 AG_

* * *

Ryō drew in a steadying breath. She visualised the target, and how her arrow would effortlessly pierce through the center when she fired her weapon. One more breath in, then she turned to face the target. In the same movement, she drew up her bow and let her arrows fly.

The signature twang of string as she fired rang out three times in quick succession, followed by the sound of arrows striking with deadly precision. The first, through the heart of the bullseye. The second, splitting the first arrow perfectly in half. The third, doing the same and driving all three arrowheads clear through the other side of the target.

Her fellow archers took this as their cue to begin firing alongside her. As Ryō continued firing, she tuned out the sounds around her to focus on the voices floating from the watchtower above. Ryō and the other Yuyan were called away from their typical nightly tasks for a “special demonstration” by Colonel Shinu personally. She knew this meant someone high-ranking was watching, and wondered for a brief moment who it might be.

“Absolutely _not_ ,” Shinu’s voice had grown louder, and she was able to hear him clearly.

“The Yuyan Archers stay _here_ ,” he said with finality, “Your request is _denied_ , Commander Zhao.”

Commander Zhao? Ryō tried to pair the name with a face, but was unsuccessful. Apparently he wanted the archers for something - no matter, as Shinu had denied him. All the while, she kept firing with her infallible accuracy. 

Her limbs moved automatically, her muscles now feeling almost more natural holding a tensed bow than they had her throwing knives - _almost_. When she found herself unable to sleep, Ryō would sneak out of the bunkers and break out her shuriken set. A few more notches in the practice targets would go unnoticed anyway, and she didn’t want to lose her edge.

“Colonel Shinu, please reconsider,” she heard Zhao say, “Their precision is legendary. The Yuyan can pin a fly to a tree from a hundred yards away without killing it.”

Ryō smirked as she loaded three arrows at once, allowing herself a satisfied chuckle before firing. Each arrow landed precisely in the center of its intended target, and Ryō recalled just how that rumor had gotten started.

* * *

_Ryō was tying a new string onto her bow when a few of her fellow archers approached her._

_“Ryō, settle an argument for us?” Wei, a stout young man with a square jaw, asked in his rough timbre._

_“Sure,” Ryō responded, amused, “What did he drag you into this time, Chao?”_

_“Wei says he can pin a fly to a tree with an arrow from 50 yards,” Chao, a skinny but muscular teen who towered over the rest of them, exclaimed, “Fifty! Tell him he’s crazy.”_

_“You just think I’m crazy because you couldn’t do it if you tried,” Wei teased._

_“_ Please _,” Chao rolled his eyes as he snarked back, “You couldn’t do it from_ five _yards!”_

_“Alright, alright,” Ryō chuckled, slinging her quiver over her shoulder and tucking her bow under her arm, “Let’s settle this. C’mon.”_

_The trio made their way to an open field just beyond the fortress’ outer walls. While Ryō continued forward nonchalantly, the other two archers retched and complained loudly._

_“Ugh,” Chao gagged._

_“What is that smell?!” Wei cried, nearly smacking himself in the face as he brought up a hand to plug his nose._

_“Well, can’t pin a fly to a tree without the fly,” Ryō answered with a smirk, “It’s just ostrich-horse dung.”_

_Sure enough, a few dozen yards to their right lay a pile of dung, surrounded by flies._

_“How far did you say, Wei?” Ryō asked as she approached a tree, “Fifty yards?”_

_“That’s right,” Wei confirmed, still grimacing from the smell. He and Chao watched as the youngest of them counted out paces from the tree._

_“Fifty,” Ryō declared as she took her final step. For good measure, she stuck one of her arrows into the ground where she stood to mark the spot._

_“At least the smell isn’t so bad from here,” Wei remarked as he took his stance._

_“Yeah, yeah,” Chao teased, “Quit stalling so you can prove me right.”_

_“Ha ha,” the other man fake laughed before choosing his arrow and lining up his sights. It was quiet for just a small moment before the familiar twang of the string and ‘thwack’ of the arrow piercing wood rang out. Chao and Wei both ran forward to see if the true target had been hit._

_“Ha!” Chao cried in triumph, “You missed!” Sure enough, the fly that Wei had aimed for was buzzing happily around the arrow, completely unscathed._

_“Oh yeah, well let’s see_ you _try it!” Wei shot back, cheeks burning red. He yanked his arrow from the tree and sulked behind the taller man as they made their way back to the mark._

_Chao took his stance, drawing the arrow back with the form and grace of a master. Another twang, another ‘thwack’, and they rushed forward once again._

_“I got it!” Chao announced excitedly, proudly pulling his arrow from the bark and examining the remains of the unfortunate insect that it had struck in its path._

_“You killed it,” Ryō commented, monotone, “That could’ve been luck as much as it could’ve been aim.”_

_Chao scoffed at this, mumbling something about jealousy. Wei laughed at his peer’s expense._

_“Get out of the way,” they heard Ryō call. She had already jogged past the protruding arrow and was selecting another from her quiver. The men rolled their eyes, but stepped aside._

_Ryō readied her body from the bottom up. First, her feet would be positioned just so. Then, ankles and calves straight. Knees slightly bent. Hips angled exactly. Torso and spine aligned, but not too rigid. Shoulders even, neck elongated, eyes narrowed and trained on the exact spot. Arms holding her weapon up exactly where it should be._

_A breath in on the drawback, breath out on release. Twang. ‘Thwack.’_

_Chao and Wei were both rendered speechless._

_“What?” Ryō teased as she jogged forward to observe her work, “That wasn’t so hard.”_

_Below the tip of her arrow, a fly thrashed its legs frantically, trying to break free, its wings caught between the weapon and the tree._

_“Show off,” Chao grumbled, upset at being bested._

_“The prodigal son strikes again,” Wei lamented, referring to the Colonel’s favoritism for Ryō. The young archer in question let out a noise somewhere between a scoff and a chuckle while she pulled her arrow free. The other two didn’t stop talking about it for the rest of the day, and as the story spread through the compound, it became more sensational. The distance seemed to increase with every retelling, but the truth of it was never in denial: Ryō had pinned a fly to a tree without killing it._

* * *

“You’re wasting their talents using them as mere security guards,” Ryō heard Zhao press on. She shook her head as she went to retrieve more practice arrows, as she’d already emptied her quiver.

“I can do whatever I want with their talents,” Shinu was getting irritated now, “They’re _my_ archers, and whatever _I_ say goes.”

Ryō was about to tune out of the conversation, thinking it finished, when Zhao’s next statement gave her pause.

“But my search for the Avatar is -”

“Is nothing more than a vanity project,” Shinu cut Zhao off. The Colonel’s voice faded into the background as Ryō ruminated on what she’d just heard.

 _Search for the Avatar?_ Ryō thought, furrowing her brow, _That was Zuko’s mission - a mission doomed to fail. Why would a naval Commander…?_

Her eyes widened in realization.

“Zuko must have found him,” she breathed, so quietly she could barely hear herself.

* * *

 _Mai curled up in her bunk, bringing her knees to her chin and wishing the nausea would dissipate. She heard voices approaching down the ship’s corridor, and forced herself to sit up. She could_ not _appear weak to these men, lest they send her away. She still didn’t know if the place they were taking her, this “Pohuai”, was even what they said it was. For all she knew, they could be on their way anywhere in the world._

 _“...passed the_ Wani _just now,” one of the men in the hallway said._

_“Prince Zuko’s ship?” the other questioned._

_“Shh!” the first man chastised, “Don’t say his name too loudly. But yeah, that’s his ship. Dinky little thing.”_

_Mai got closer to the door, straining to listen to their conversation._

_“Surprised he got a ship at all,” the second man commented, “Doesn’t seem like too rough of a banishment to me.”_

_“C’mon,” the first man replied, “The kid was sent on a wild armadillo-goose chase, searching for a dead man. It’d just be cruel to make him do it on foot.”_

_“Really think the Avatar is dead?” the second man asked. The first man made a noncommittal noise that Mai pictured being accompanied by a shrug._

_“Whether he is or not,” the first man said, “I don’t think the kid will find him anytime soon. And that was probably the point - keep him focused on something else and out of the way.”_

_Mai returned to her bunk when the conversation topic changed away from the banished prince. There was so much information for her to take in. After the Agni Kai, all the adults seemed to be whispering about Zuko’s fate, but when Mai questioned her parents, she was ordered never to speak of him again. All she knew at the time was that he was being escorted to a ship that would take him far away. She wasn’t sure what to make of this new information, and didn’t have much time to think on it, either._

_“Recruit,” a soldier called, knocking on the door, “Report to the deck.”_

_Mai put thoughts of the prince aside, and went to follow her orders._

* * *

The screech of a messenger hawk drew everyone’s attention, and Ryō trained her gaze up to the watchtower where it landed. She held her breath, the last dregs of paranoia in the back of her head causing her to sweat. She had to remind herself that she could never get too comfortable here, or anywhere, lest she slip up. She cycled through the past few days, few weeks, looking for anything that might have caused her carefully constructed mask to crack.

“News from Fire Lord Ozai?” she heard Zhao say. She gasped softly, her mind going further into overdrive as she waited to hear what he would say next.

“It appears I’ve been promoted to Admiral,” Zhao finally spoke again, and Ryō let out her breath in a quiet sigh. Her relief didn’t last long, though.

“My request is now an order,” _Admiral_ Zhao said smugly.

Ryō returned to her fellow archers, quiver replenished, and began firing once again in sync with the rest of them. She only managed to get a few arrows out before Colonel Shinu called them all to attention.

“At ease,” his voice rang out, and the archers all put down their bows and relaxed their stances. Once they were all facing him, Shinu took a deep breath.

“You’ve been recruited for a special mission,” he announced, trying not to sound as angry as he felt, “You’ll now be reporting to Admiral Zhao.”

Ryō let her eyes wander up to the watchtower once more, and saw the newly-promoted Admiral leaning over the rail to observe the group with a sly, self-serving smile on his face. She turned back to Shinu and raised her eyebrows at him.

“It’s out of my hands,” the Colonel added in a quieter voice before turning to take his leave.

“Stand by for orders,” he called over his shoulder. Ryō turned her attention back to Zhao, regarding him with a skeptical gaze. The man seemed to meet her eye, even from two stories above her head, and Ryō could swear that his smug smile had turned sinister.


	4. the blue spirit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avatar is captured, and then escapes, and Mai encounters a familiar face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you everyone for your patience - since the last update, i started a new full-time job and haven't had a lot of extra time/energy to devote to this fic. the good news is that the chapter following this one is very nearly finished, so you should be seeing that one soon!  
> this chapter, like the last, lifts dialogue and events directly from Book 1, Chapter 13 "The Blue Spirit" - with some minor creative liberties taken here and there. there's also some allusion to the flashbacks we see in Book 2, Chapter 7 "Zuko Alone"

_Ruins of Taku, 99 AG_

* * *

The wind was picking up, and there was a mist in the air. The Yuyan Archers lie in wait among the branches of the trees that lined the edge of the field, training their gazes intently on the herbalist’s hut.

“Are we _sure_ the Avatar is in there?” Chao complained from somewhere to Ryō’s right. She didn’t turn to acknowledge him.

“Shut up, Chao,” Wei scolded from Ryō’s left. She let out a frustrated huff as the two began to bicker.

“Both of you,” Ryō said forcefully, “Quiet. You’ll give up our position.”

Just as the rain began to fall in scattered droplets, Ryō spotted their target.

That’s _the Avatar?_ She thought to herself, _He’s just a little kid._

Nonetheless, her training kicked in and she fired, arrows landing just next to the kid’s feet.

“Ryō missing a shot?” Wei teased, “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“We’re trained on ‘shoot to kill’,” Ryō grumbled, “Kind of hard to do that when our task is ‘capture him alive’.”

The rest of the archers began firing, and arrows started to rain down towards the young Avatar. At the last second, he deflected them all with airbending, sending the arrows in every opposite direction. Just when the situation couldn’t get any more unusual, Ryō watched as the kid bent down, plucked an arrow out of the ground at his feet, and held it out in the general direction he’d seen it come from.

“Uh, I think you dropped this,” he called out. Ryō heard Chao let out a snort behind her as they all drew up their bows and aimed. The Avatar stared at them in disbelief, finally seeing them through the leaves and registering just how many archers there were. He leaned down and began to tug at the other arrow beside his left foot.

“Wait, he’s pinned down,” Chao observed, to which Ryō smirked.

“So, I _didn’t_ miss,” she said smugly as she signaled for them to fire again. The kid managed to free his trapped foot just in time to avoid the next barrage of arrows, and he started running.

Four more archers emerged from out of the grass to block his direct path and fired, only for him to jump out of the way. He turned and ran the other way.

“He’s slippery,” an archer complained from somewhere behind Ryō as they all jumped down from their perches.

“We’ll catch him,” Ryō assured them as they began their pursuit.

They chased the Avatar to a cliff’s edge, and the airbender immediately dove off it. The Yuyan didn’t even pause as they followed, loading their bows with grappling arrows. As the arrow pierced the bark of a tree, the attached rope would give the archers something to hold onto and control their fall.

Ryō’s arrow landed first, and she used her momentum to swing by the rope into the branch of another tree. She followed as the Avatar hopped from branch to branch, making his way back toward the ground. The other archers were still firing, but the kid was outrunning the arrows every time. Ryō decided to save her ammunition for the moment.

The Avatar slid down a trunk and tried to skid across the water of the bog below, but ended up losing his balance and falling in. Instead of running as soon as he emerged, he paused in place.

“What’s he doing?” Ryō asked herself, puzzled. She watched him pick something up out of the water. An arrow whizzed by her ear from behind her, and struck whatever object the Avatar was holding back into the water. Arrows continued to rain down onto the young airbender as he narrowly avoided them, all the while stuffing whatever he was gathering from the water down the front of his tunic. 

Ryō watched as her fellow archers continued to miss their target, and waited for her opportunity to strike. Finally, she saw it. The Avatar was standing beside a fallen tree, and as his arm emerged from the water again, Ryō let an arrow fly. It caught the boy’s sleeve, pinning him by the cuff to the bark of the tree behind him. As he struggled to break free, she released three more arrows, securing the fabric further into the wood.

The boy looked up to see that the Yuyan had emerged from their hiding places and were now surrounding him. As they aimed, he used his free arm to create a shield of ice from the water around them. It was quickly shattered by more arrows, and his other arm was pinned down shortly after. Finally, Chao and Wei released simultaneous arrows that were connected by a net.

Ryō felt a distant pang of guilt as she observed the fear in the young boy’s eyes while they rounded him up. She observed that he seemed to be about the age she had been when she ran away from home, and realized just how young that was. However, there was nothing she could do about it now - her self-preservation quickly squashed any fantastical ideals that may have flitted across her mind regarding sparing the young boy. In order to protect herself, she needed to continue following orders and turn the boy over to Zhao.

* * *

Upon their return to Pohuai, the archers were rewarded with a grand feast. Ryō refused to meet the frightened eyes of their young prisoner as he was escorted away, and instead joined in with the cheers and revelry of her fellow soldiers. They laughed, and drank, and ate, retelling the day’s events and embellishing certain details to make it sound more impressive. Once the platters and pitchers were emptied, Admiral Zhao returned and called everyone to attention.

“We are the sons and daughters of Fire, the superior element,” Zhao’s voice boomed over the hall, echoing off every surface, “Until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory - the Avatar. I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!”

The rally cries of the soldiers around Ryō matched the driving thrum of blood in her veins. Drunk off the thrill of victory, she cheered along with them. Every declaration Zhao made bolstered the group even further.

“This is the year Sozin’s Comet returns to grant us its power!”

Ryō hurrahed just as loudly as the rest of them in response.

“This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se, and burns the city to the ground!”

Ryō cheered again, but at the mention of Ba Sing Se, unconsciously tuned out the rest of Zhao’s speech in favor of recalling a pleasant memory.

* * *

_After being changed out of her play clothes from earlier in the day, Mai was escorted by her parents to dinner at the invitation of Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa. Ukano constantly sought the favor of the royal family, but Mai didn’t mind much, as it meant she got to see her friends more often._

_After the meal had ended, as the adults sat around sipping tea and discussing matters far above the children's understanding, Zuko and Azula excused themselves and led Mai out into the garden._

_“Mai, check out the gift I got from Uncle Iroh today!” Zuko exclaimed as he proudly wielded a pearl-handled dagger. Mai’s eyes grew wide as she admired the weapon._

_“He got it from the General who surrendered to him at Ba Sing Se,” the prince explained, puffing out his chest, “Maybe someday I’ll be a great General who leads the Fire Nation to victory, too!”_

_“Please, Zuzu,” Azula rolled her eyes, “We’ll have won the war long before you’re even old enough to think about joining the army.”_

_Zuko ignored his sister’s comment in favor of speaking to Mai again._

_“Would you like to hold it?” he asked her, his voice softer than before._

_“Really?” Mai asked excitedly in response. Zuko nodded his head eagerly, holding the dagger out to her. She took it gently, admiring the balance of the handle. Then, she noticed the inscription upon the blade._

_“‘Never give up without a fight’,” she read quietly._

_“You’ll have to teach me to throw it like you do with your knives,” Zuko said, causing Mai to look up and see that he was standing just beside her, their upper arms close enough to touch. She looked away from him to hide the blush she felt rising to her face, and held the knife out to him._

_“Sure,” she answered with a small smile._

_“Okay!” Zuko responded excitedly, “How about right now?”_

* * *

“Ryō!”

Hearing her name called snapped Ryō out of her reverie long enough to see that her fellow archers had abandoned the hall and were rushing outside amongst loud alarm bells.

“Where’s your head at?” Chao chastised as she caught up to him, “The Avatar escaped! C’mon!”

Ryō donned her quiver and picked up her bow in a flash, pausing only once she was outside to let her eyes adjust to the darkness.

“There! On the wall!” she heard a soldier yell from her left. She noticed the Avatar was climbing up a rope, and fired an arrow to slice it. She noticed as the boy fell that there was someone else with him - a figure dressed in all black, which the boy caught with airbending to cushion their fall. Once the dust settled, she watched the figure brandish a pair of dao before he led the Avatar toward the open gates.

Ryō heard Zhao bark an order to secure the gates, and watched a flurry of soldiers move into action out of her periphery - her main focus stayed on the Avatar and his mystery accomplice. A gust of wind burst forth from the boy’s hands, forcing the soldiers out of the way of the closing steel. The shrouded figure fought off a few others with his swords, slicing the heads of their spears clean off. Throughout this all, Ryō was changing her position to keep her aim as accurate as possible. When she noticed the Avatar had grown distracted by looking back for his companion, she fired an arrow that released a net in midair. The boy turned just in time to see it coming, and fired another gust of wind in order to evade it. He grabbed a discarded spear from the ground and charged back toward the soldiers in order to aid his rescuer.

The soldiers surrounding the figure dressed in black were swept away by more airbending, and the Avatar used the broken spear to direct another stream of air under his ally. The figure landed in a clumsy somersault on top of the wall before taking a fighting stance as more soldiers surrounded him. Ryō shot a grappling arrow onto the wall and began climbing as fast as she could, determined not to lose her target. Halfway up the wall, she saw the Avatar using the spear as a propellor to fly above them all, and he picked up the cloaked swordsman on his way. The soldiers all watched helplessly for a moment before more archers began firing at them. The arrows that didn’t miss completely were being deflected, but the Avatar was quickly beginning to lose his strength. They couldn’t stay in the air much longer, and the pair landed atop the next perimeter wall.

Ryō finally reached the top of the wall she’d been climbing and assessed the situation. Soldiers on the ground were bringing out ladders in order to scale the wall, while others in the watchtowers were charging forward. As the soldiers scaling the wall were being knocked down, Ryō fired another grappling arrow, first securing the rope to a pillar beside her and then using her headband as a makeshift seave to propel herself across and to the next wall. For a split second after she landed, she was close enough to the mystery figure to see that they were wearing a familiar blue mask. She racked her brain for a second too long about it before remembering what she was supposed to be doing, and subsequently realized that the Avatar and his masked friend were using the ladders as vaulting poles, carrying them towards the final perimeter wall and over the heads of the soldiers below. Ryō cursed herself for getting distracted, and followed with another grappling arrow in order to catch up to them on the last wall. Before she could slide across, however, she watched as a firebending soldier set the remaining ladder on fire, causing the two fugitives to just miss their mark. Ryō sent herself across anyway, deciding on a role as sniper while the soldiers below closed in on their targets. A deluge of fire burst forth from the soldiers, which the Avatar only barely blocked with a gust of wind, before Admiral Zhao himself stepped into the fray.

“Hold your fire!” he commanded, “The Avatar must be captured alive.” At this, the soldiers stopped firing, but the masked swordsman stepped up behind the Avatar and held his blades below the boy’s throat. Ryō’s eyes widened in shock - perhaps this mystery figure wasn’t a friend of the Avatar.

Everyone froze in place as the figure and Zhao seemed to be staring each other down. The compound was so quiet, Zhao’s voice didn’t need to raise at all above a murmur as he ordered,

“Open the gate.”

“Admiral, what are you doing?” Colonel Shinu asked, shocked.

“Let them out,” Zhao replied, maintaining his cool tone. Ryō realized immediately what the game was.

“Now!” at Zhao’s final command, the gates were opened and the swordsman retreated backwards, the Avatar still in his deadly grip.

“How could you let them go?” another soldier questioned behind Zhao.

“A situation like this requires...precision,” Zhao smirked as he spoke, and angled his eyes upward to see Ryō already in position. He quickly made his way up to the watchtower beside her while the fugitives continued their cautious retreat.

“Do you have a clear shot?” Zhao asked. Ryō nodded as she drew her bow and took aim, awaiting the signal to fire.

“Knock out the thief,” Zhao said, “I’ll deliver him to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar.”

A steadying breath, a twang of string, and the arrow landed directly onto the forehead of the blue mask. There was a tense pause as the Avatar looked back in shock at his captor on the ground, then suddenly a cloud of dust obscured them from view.

“Quick!” Zhao barked to the soldiers waiting below, “Recover the Avatar!”

The gates re-opened, and a barrage of men marched out, but when they finally reached the cloud of dust as it faded away, the Avatar and the masked figure had disappeared into the darkness of the woods. The soldiers floundered in confusion, and Zhao had a furious scowl written across his features.

“I’ll retrieve them,” Ryō announced, and without any further ceremony, she propelled herself down the side of the wall and sprinted silently into the woods.

* * *

After hours of searching, Ryō finally stumbled upon a small clearing in which she could see the Avatar crouched beside the unconscious body of the thief. She perched herself high above them in the trees, and waited for her moment to strike. Just as she was prepping her bow, she heard the boy begin to speak.

“You know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is?”

Ryō paused to listen.

“I miss all the friends I used to hang out with.”

She lowered her weapon slightly, feeling a distant pang of guilt. Here he was, the mighty Avatar, enemy of the Fire Nation, reduced from his exaggerated image to what he truly was: a kid.

“Before the war started,” the young Avatar explained, “I used to always visit my friend, Kuzon. The two of us? We’d get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had…and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you.”

 _Just like you?_ Ryō’s eyes widened as she lowered her bow fully and strained to get a better view. There was a branch lower down blocking the face of whoever the masked man was - but she could see the mask laying beside him. That’s when the memory finally clicked into place.

* * *

_“I hate the rain,” Ty Lee pouted as she stared out the window into the dull, grey sky, “Now we can’t play!”_

_“We can still play,” Mai replied, “Just not outside.”_

_“But what will we play?” the other girl asked hopelessly, “I can’t do cartwheels, or handstands, or any of that stuff_ inside _!”_

_“Nobody wants to play cartwheels with you anyway, Ty Lee,” Azula’s unmistakable voice came from behind them._

_“What do you want to play, then, Azula?” Ty Lee questioned brightly, seemingly unphased by the Princess’ comment._

_“I have an idea!” Zuko chimed in from the doorway. Mai turned to see his arms were full of masks and scrolls._

_“Let’s play_ Love Amongst the Dragons _!” the young prince suggested enthusiastically, handing out the masks, “I’ll be the Dragon Emperor.”_

_He handed a mask and scroll to Mai._

_“Mai, would you like to be the Dragon Empress?” he asked her softly. She nodded shyly, taking the mask from him. Before she could respond, Azula cut in._

_“Who cares about those parts?” she declared, snatching a mask from Zuko’s grasp, “_ I’m _going to be the Dark Water Spirit!”_

_“Isn’t that the bad guy?” Ty Lee asked innocently as she accepted the last mask from the young prince._

_“The bad guys are the most fun to play!” Azula said smugly, turning to reveal her face covered by the blue mask, featuring stark white contrasts and a wide, sinister smile._

_The very same mask that lay beside the mystery figure in the clearing below._

_Could it be…?_

* * *

Before Ryō could get too lost in her thoughts, she felt a rush of heat from below and instinctively raised her bow into position again. She looked down in time to see the Avatar escaping from the masked figure, who was shooting a blast of fire from his first.

Her mission propelled itself to the forefront of her mind as she shot an arrow in the direction the Avatar had run, but it struck a tree as the boy dodged it and disappeared from sight. However, the figure also noticed the arrow being fired, and had turned frantically to see where it had come from.

“Who’s there?!” an all-too familiar voice demanded. When the man turned to face the tree Ryō was perched in, she nearly fell out of it. In the instant she took in his angular, scarred face, she was transported back to that fateful night two years ago - a frightened prince, kneeling before his father, begging for mercy. The sound of his screams. The blindly bright flame. She couldn’t stop herself before vocalizing her shock.

“Zuko?”


	5. turning point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mai fails her mission, and returns to Pohuai to face the wrath of Zhao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CW: This chapter contains implied physical and sexual violence.** Neither of these are described in graphic detail, but they are still present. With these warnings in mind, there will be a synopsis provided in the end notes for anyone who does not want to read this chapter. You can skip to that by clicking the "see more notes" link below.

_ Pohuai Stronghold, 99 AG _

* * *

Ryō gasped and threw a hand over her mouth the second she discovered that she’d vocalized her realization. She held her breath as she watched the banished prince strain his eyes, trying to find the source of the voice that had just called his name.

“Who’s there?” he demanded once again, trying to keep his tone even but being betrayed by the slightest crack at the very end. Ryō was frozen in place, staring, wanting to do a million different things all in the moment. The covert soldier in her was setting off alarms at her position being discovered, and telling her to get out now. The deadly archer in her was screaming for her arms to raise her bow and take aim. But, the loudest voice of all, was that of the scared little girl she thought she’d left behind that stormy night.

_ It’s me, _ the small voice cried,  _ It’s your friend, Mai. You don’t have to be afraid. I won’t hurt you. _

Ryō was finally forced to move when a blast of fire burst forth, dangerously close to the branch she sat upon. She jumped to another tree as silently as possible.

“Show yourself!” Zuko yelled, frustrated. He threw another blast of fire towards the tree Ryō had been in. When the empty branch fell unceremoniously, he looked around frantically. Ryō sunk further into the branches, hoping to avoid his gaze, but the snap of a twig as she adjusted her feet gave her away.

The flames from the next blast nearly licked at her skin, and Ryō dove from the branch in order to avoid them. She landed on the ground below clumsily, but was able to right herself into a combat position immediately. Suddenly, she was face-to-face with the banished prince, staring directly into his eyes. She could tell he was still combat-ready, and drew a blade from her sleeve with her free hand. They both held their position for minutes that stretched on as if they were hours, silent and still as the trees around them.

Ryō searched Zuko’s eyes, longing for something in them that would show he knew her. But how could he? She wasn’t even Mai anymore - sometimes, she didn’t even know herself. The longer he stared at her as if she were a threatening stranger, the harder it became for her to hold her resolve.

“Go,” she whispered, finally averting her gaze, “I won’t follow you. It was the Avatar that Zhao wanted, anyway.”

The prince stared at her skeptically for another moment before leaning down to pick up his mask. He placed it back onto his face before taking off into the forest, not even sparing her one last look.

* * *

Upon her return to Pohuai, Ryō was immediately summoned to Zhao’s office. She refused to meet any of her fellow soldiers’ eyes, dreading the shock and disappointment that she was sure lay behind them. The walk felt as if it stretched on for miles, but Ryō would have rather walked those halls for the rest of time than be sat down before her commanding officer after a failed mission. She found herself facing the furious Admiral before she knew it, and sank into her chair without much ceremony.

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or disgusted that you dared to return here empty handed,” Zhao snarled, towering over Ryō, “I blame  _ you _ for the Avatar’s escape.”

“I’m not the one that set him free,” Ryō spoke before she could think to shut her mouth. She was right, but immediately cursed herself - she should know better than to speak to a superior like that. What had gotten into her?

Zhao raised his eyebrows and let out an astonished scoff. He stared at Ryō in disbelief for another moment, then moved his attention to the soldier standing guard at the doorway.

“Leave us,” Zhao barked, and the soldier quickly shut the door and marched off. Ryō kept her gaze trained on her lap, and focused on the sound of the soldier’s hurried footsteps echoing down the hallway rather than Zhao’s furious, ragged breathing. He had moved to stand behind her, and his face was directly next to her ear.

“Stand up, soldier,” the Admiral commanded as he violently kicked the chair from beneath the archer. Ryō stumbled, but regained her balance quickly and stood at attention. Zhao continued to breathe down her neck, and she tried to keep her own breathing steady and calm.

_ Whatever he’s going to do to me, I can take it, _ Ryō told herself,  _ I have to. _

“You’re not as tough as you think,” Zhao growled, his voice quiet but still threatening. Ryō didn’t move a muscle, just kept breathing.

“You hear me?!” Zhao now yelled, his lips still mere centimeters from Ryō’s ear. She flinched ever-so-slightly, but of course, the Admiral noticed. He let out a sinister chuckle before walking away.

Zhao approached his desk and opened the topmost drawer. As he admired whatever lay inside, he spoke once more.

“Remove your uniform, soldier,” he ordered, his voice suddenly calm again. Ryō gulped, but knew that he wouldn’t ask again. Alarm bells began ringing wildly in her mind, but she ignored them as she removed her uniform pieces one by one. First, her jacket and the wraps around her forearms. Then, her waist sash and the wraps around her calves. When the next item to be removed was her tunic, she gulped again.

“Continue,” Zhao said, approaching her once again. Ryō looked up and saw that he held a thin rattan cane in his right hand. She immediately understood what her punishment was to be.

_ He’s going to whip me, _ she realized internally,  _ And he wants to do it on bare skin. _

Ryō tried to still her trembling fingers as she removed her tunic, telling herself that there was no use in denying the inevitable. The absence of the fabric revealed bandages wrapped around her entire torso, covering her chest and back.

“What’s this?” Zhao paused in his approach, puzzled by the unexpected find. Ryō frantically searched her brain for the excuse she had invented.

“Scar,” she finally blurted after a tense moment, “I have a large scar across my chest.”

“Scar?” Zhao confirmed, “So it’s a healed wound. No need for bandages.”

Ryō hesitated just long enough to irritate the short-tempered Admiral. He huffed impatiently.

“Remove them,” he insisted. Ryō opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came out.

“Now!” Zhao shouted. Ryō remained frozen. The older man growled, and turned on his heel to return to his desk. He grabbed a dagger from the still-open drawer and stalked back toward the soldier. Ryō thought about resisting him, but realized it would make things worse for her in the long run. She just closed her eyes while Zhao cut the bandages open. They billowed to the floor without much ceremony, and Ryō crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to cover herself while rapidly turning her back to the Admiral.

“Stand and face me like a  _ man _ , soldier,” Zhao demanded, roughly grabbing Ryō’s elbows and turning her to face him once more. He inadvertently ripped her arms away from her chest, and his anger-filled eyes changed as he took in the sight before him.

“Or...a woman,” Zhao corrected himself, his face relaxing into an intrigued expression, “Very interesting.”

“Sir,” Ryō spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, “Please, I -” She winced as Zhao grabbed her chin and tilted her face up towards him.

“Please don’t tell the Colonel,” Ryō begged, feeling tears beginning to well behind her eyes, “This is my family, my home. I have nowhere else to go.”

“Now why would I do something for  _ you _ ?” Zhao asked menacingly, “An impostor soldier who has done nothing but  _ fail _ me.”

“Please,” Ryō repeated, screwing her lids closed to avoid letting the tears fall.

_ This is  _ not _ the time to show any weakness,  _ Ryō chastised herself.

“Unless…” Zhao continued, leaning closer, “You do something for me.”

“A - anything,” Ryō stuttered, desperately pleading with the Spirits that she come out of this situation with her facade intact.

“Remove the rest of your uniform.”

Ryō chewed her lip nervously as she undid the wraps around her calves and removed her pants. Once she was fully exposed, Zhao took a step back to look her up and down. Ryō saw something in his eyes that was indescribable, but frightened her to her core. His eyes darkened as his pupils widened, and a faint flush rose to his cheeks. Ryō’s eyes briefly left Zhao’s face to observe the rest of his body, and saw that one of his hands was stroking his hardening length through his pants. The color drained from Ryō’s face as her stomach sank dizzily. Zhao grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her around, and pushed her roughly against the wall. Ryō closed her eyes so tight she saw stars, and willed fiercely that she could be anywhere but here.

* * *

_ Mai sat under the shade of a tree in the palace garden, watching on indifferently as Ty Lee demonstrated the perfect cartwheeling technique. Azula tried it, fell, and grew furious when Ty Lee repeated the routine flawlessly. Azula pushed the other girl down, and laughed cruelly. _

_ “Azula!” Ty Lee whined as the princess’ giggles rang through the air. _

_ Mai was only half-aware of the events, twiddling her fingers when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Walking past the garden were Prince Zuko and his mother, Princess Ursa. _

_ She admired the young prince’s kind eyes, straight shoulders, and slight smile. But, she didn’t look too long, lest he catch her staring. She quickly looked away, blushing. _

_ Mai didn’t realize it, but Azula had noticed, and immediately cooked up a scheme. She ran to her mother and begged for Zuko to come play with the girls in the garden. _

_ Suddenly, Mai was standing before the fountain with an apple on her head. She frowned at Azula as the princess explained the rules of the “game”. _

_ “...Try to knock the apple off the other person’s head,” Azula said, “Like this.” The princess shot forward a blast of fire from her two extended fingers, and the only thing that managed to do was set the stem of the apple on fire. Mai’s eyes widened when she realized this, then widened more when they took in Zuko running directly at her. _

_ Mai screamed, and in knocking the flaming apple off her head, Zuko also managed to knock the both of them into the fountain. They emerged sputtering, with Zuko sprawled awkwardly across Mai’s lap. _

_ “I told you it would work,” Azula laughed to Ty Lee, who decided to double down on the teasing. _

_ “Aw, they’re so cute together!” Ty Lee cooed, which caused Zuko to storm off. Mai finally rose to her feet, fists balled at her sides. _

_ “You two are such - ugh!” Mai groaned. She had half a mind to follow Zuko when she saw Princess Ursa approach, and decided to leave it be. The only part of the conversation she heard was Zuko’s frustrated declaration. _

_ “Girls are crazy!” _

* * *

“Get dressed,” Zhao commanded roughly as he pulled himself away from Ryō. His voice, speaking orders again, shook her out of her stupor. She pulled her uniform on as quickly as she could without being imprecise.

“Seems like we both have a secret to keep now, soldier,” the Admiral commented darkly as he adjusted his pants. He sighed, pleased, as he sat behind his desk and put his feet up on the tabletop.

Ryō adjusted the last bits of her uniform, praying that nothing was out of place. She wasn’t sure if she should speak - but then again, what would she say? Before she could think too much further about it, Zhao spoke again:

“Get out.”

She bowed, and exited, shutting the door behind her. She went directly to the bath hall and sought the solace of the furthest tub, tucked partially behind a corner. It was empty this time of day, which she was grateful for. Ryō usually picked odd times to bathe, but this time wasn’t about not getting caught. She heated her water to near boiling before dumping it into the tub and forcing herself to sit in it. Maybe it would scald every last trace of Zhao off her skin. She scrubbed vigorously until her pale complexion was an angry red, then scrubbed a little more. She then just sat there, imagining wistfully that she might melt away into the bathwater and never have to think about any of these things ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**Synopsis:** Ryō faces Zuko, and realizes quickly that he doesn't recognize her. She lets him go, and returns to Pohuai empty-handed. She is brought immediately to a furious Admiral Zhao, who scolds her for her failure. Ryō makes a snarky comment, angering the man even further. He decides he will punish her physically for her insolence. Zhao orders Ryō to remove the top half of her uniform, and cuts away the bandages she uses to hide her chest. Upon discovering that Ryō is a woman, Zhao makes her remove the rest of her uniform and rapes her. Ryō retreats into her mind, reflecting back on her childhood and remembering a day she spent playing with Zuko, Azula, and Ty Lee in the royal gardens. Once Zhao is finished, he implies that he will keep Ryō's secret so long as she keeps the events of this encounter secret. The chapter ends with Ryō alone in the bath hall, coping with the aftermath._  
> Mai's flashback is lifted directly from Book 2, Chapter 7 "Zuko Alone"

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was inspired by:  
> instagram user kkachi_95's "opposite gender" a:tla art series, where mai is depicted as a yuyan archer  
> Disney's hit film "Mulan" (1998)
> 
> title is a lyric from "I'll Make a Man Out of You" ("Mulan", 1998)
> 
> shoutout to the maikos on twitter who supported this idea and encouraged me to follow through!


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